MARSHALL UNIVERSITY CLASSIFIED STAFF COUNCIL MINUTES
THURSDAY, MAY 17,  2001
Smith Hall 263/Teleconference GC/134

President Nina Barrett called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. Due to lack of a quorum, the April minutes were not approved.  Item tabled until the next meeting in June. 

President Barrett explained that Mr. Stephens is here to explain what the new Senate bill means to us in regard to the new grievance procedure. 

Mr. Stephens announced that as of July 1, 2001 higher education would go under the other State grievance procedure WV Code 29 6a. He mentioned that we had been using the grievance procedures in the WV Code Chapter 18 Article 29. He gave out handouts on the new grievance procedures. Mr. Stephens explained in detail how the grievance procedures are now versus the new grievance procedures. Beginning July 1 we will still have level one through level four, but level one is the filing of the grievance against the immediate supervisor. There is a new time line. Formally your issue at level one had to be filed within 15 days of either the date that the incident happened or the date you became aware of the incident.  That is now 10 days.  A person can ask for a conference if they want to and the parties can hold a conference, but it does not delay the time lines. Level two is an appeal which is called in the statute the area administrator and that is going to be a different person according to the context in which the grievance was filed. For example: The Level two decision from your area administrator has to be issued within five days of the conference. You have five days to appeal to Level three. Level three hearing has to be held within seven days of receipt of that appeal and the decision by the President who will be advised by the examiner, and he will make a decision within five days from that hearing. Level three is the same as the old Level two which is a hearing before impartial examiner acting in behalf of the President. The President will designate an examiner and the examiner will conduct a hearing and bring a written recommendation to the President and the President will issue a decision. Level four is the same as the old level four that is through the State employee grievance board in Charleston and again people will need to file at level four themselves. If you have a grievance that starts on or before June 30 this year, it will be adjudicated under the old statute. If a person files a grievance on or after July 1 this year, it will be adjudicated under the new statute. This stems out of Senate Bill 703, which is the Higher Education Bill. He continued to discuss in detail. He spoke in detail about a waiver of time line.  He also discussed in detail the draft Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR). They will still offer the ADR. There was some concern and several questions were asked and answered.  

Salary Schedule: The latest information that we have is that we will not receive raises July 1. It will probably be October 1, 2001. Right now as we speak we do not have the appropriation or guidelines for salary adjustments.  

House Bill 2209 changes the disposition of sick leave when you retire to buy retiree insurance. If you began employment by July 1, 1988, you will stay under the old formula. This means you will be able to use your sick accumulation at the time of retirement to pay for your health insurance. If you began employment after July 2001, you do not get this benefit of retiree coverage. If you were employed by 1998, you can trade about half of the premiums for retiree’s coverage with the same formula. Two days for one month of single coverage and three days for one month for family coverage.  

Mr. Stephens mentioned for those of us who prepare paper PARs, they are going to start using the Banner  EPAF. We need to do three things:  1) enroll for views; 2) enroll for the EPAF process; 3)  those of us who are working with other people that will be approving PARs will need to enroll for their approver role (VP).  There will be training provided.  Discussion continued. 

President Barrett introduced Mr. Mark Rhodes, Director of Parking. 

Mr. Rhodes announced that we are underway in securing close to 50 million dollars in bond funding in order to proceed with the construction of a residential facility and a parking garage on campus. The parking garage is tentatively scheduled to be constructed directly across from the Henderson Center on G lot. Upon completion we will have about a 1,000 parking spaces. It will be about 51/2 levels. There is an addition to which there may be a bridge constructed from the parking facility into E level at the Henderson Center. The Housing facility is going to be constructed on the two areas behind the parking office (where the 20^th Street Bank is located). In addition and as  part of this project,  the Doctor’s Memorial Building will be demolished and a surface parking lot will be constructed. At some point in the future Marshall is also going to construct a Bio-Technology Center.  He understands that we have secured a great deal of funding already for this from the Federal Government. It is scheduled to be constructed on the lot where the old tennis courts use to be across from Harris Hall. We have a unique opportunity in a sense that dollars are going to be made available for construction of two parking areas. Funds will partially be available through the Federal Government in support of the parking for the Bio-Technology Center and through bond revenue. We will support this project with parking revenue in the form of bond debt support.  The tentative schedule of payments will begin November 2003.  He continued to discuss in great detail. 

Mr. Rhodes explained in detail the increase in parking rates over a period of three years as well as the pre-tax parking benefit. In order to be eligible for this benefit you must be a benefits eligible employee who works 20 hours or more for the University. We only have one withholding option meaning that we will withhold parking fees on a monthly basis (the 15^th of every month). You have the opportunity to decline participation in the pre-tax benefits program.  The temporary fees for parking will remain at $10 per month, $2.50 per week or a $1 per day.  Discussion continued. 

GRADUATE SCHOOL:  Ms. Pierson had some concerns over the salary schedule. President Barrett explained that the Governor intended for us to have the $756 increase. However, the Legislature, the House and the Senate did not. They felt because they put a salary schedule in code, they did not intend for higher education to have the $756 increase. Historically higher education has never gotten this increase. Right now, as Mr. Stephens says, “we are at ground zero” because of the disagreement between the Governor, the House and Senate over the $756. President Angel called President Barrett to let her know that they had a Policy Commission meeting (teleconference) and basically what has been said is true. We are right back at zero. His exact words to President Barrett were “it will take a month or so to sort this out” and then he said, “any raises we get will become effective October 1.”  Right now they have to figure out if we get the $756 and if we do, how will that affect the salary schedule. The new salary schedule was passed in the enhancement language Senate Bill 703. The Senate and the House gave higher education money for raises but no funding. They gave us money to implement the new system.  The Governor included higher education in the $756, but the House and the Senate does not want higher education to get this increase because they feel that we have the new salary schedule and we don’t need it.  But,  no funds were given to fund  the salary schedule.   There was plenty of discussion and concern over this issue. Council will make copies of the salary schedule and distribute to members. 

Ms. Pierson mentioned that she is struggling trying to get other staff members to sit on Council at the Graduate College this year. 

MEMBERSHIP/ELECTIONS – Mr. Wortham reported we will have our upcoming council seat elections on the Huntington campus. Elections are scheduled for Thursday, June 7. We had sent out letters of nominations the end of last week and immediately we found out that a couple of divisions that some had administrative restructuring-- we have people who are now reporting to different vice presidents. We are in the process of sending out new letters of nominations along with a new list of people. We will take nominations through Friday, May 25. The elections will be in the following divisions:  Administration, Service Maintenance, we have three seats available and two of them are full three-year terms and one is a one-year term. We have the School of Medicine Professional one position for a three-year term.  In Academic Affairs Professional there is one position for a three-year term. The Technical Information group has two openings.  Both are for three-year terms. We have 10 openings that will need to be filled. The election will be take place at the following locations:  Old Main, Prichard Hall, Sorrell Maintenance Building, School of Medicine and the Medical Education Building.  

SERVICE COMMITTEE: President Barrett reported for Bernice. She was able to collect donations at the Service Awards Luncheon and this is for a very good cause. We cannot spend state funds for flowers and cards. We have to rely on donations. President Barrett feels that we did well. 

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE: President Barrett reported for David Cremeans. The three Resolutions that were passed and submitted to the President were denied. President Angel disapproved the resolution for the MU Bookstore because they had been advised by the Ethics Commission that such a discount should not be implemented until we have obtain written opinion about the matter from them. He said that the request has been made and he will notify Council of the opinion. The response from the resolution on training of supervisors was “it could create another funded obligation and the President will encourage Human Resources to provide training activities that are responsive to the subject referred to in the resolution.”  The ADR allowing a spokesperson to represent the grievant that was denied, but it says “that I am advised that the ADR facilitators will be sensitive to request from participate to have someone with them or to present their issue and will be able to accommodate these request in many circumstances. We are unable, however, to create an administrative leave for a few employees to provide services and advocate during normal work hours.”  President Barrett said that basically what they are saying that you can have your advocate, but they are not going to give leave time to do this. Discussion continued. 

SERIVICE AWARDS: Mr. Wortham reported that we had a very, very good affair.  Comments both he and members of the committee received were good. The staff employees liked the fact that we offered vegetarian platters. Mr. Wortham gave an overall overview of the awards, and he was very pleased. He did mention that the 15-year clocks would no longer be available. The company who makes these clocks is going to discontinue these clocks.  

OLD BUSINESS - The chairs of the committees still have to understand that before they can implement policy, they need to bring it before Council for approval first. 

NEW BUSINESS  - Next month we will meet on June 14^th in the Big Green Room at the Henderson Center. It will be for the sole purpose of electing officers and the year-end reports by the chairs. Refreshments will be provided. 

With there being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:45 p.m.